Mechanism for utilizing wind-power.



No. 741,389. PATBNTED 00T. 13, 1903.

Y T. R. TIMBY.

MEGHANISM PORUTILIZING WIND POWER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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* nofws PETERS co. wowmmo. wAsrwAnTcnN` n c NITED STATES Patented October 13, 1903.1

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MECHANISIVI FOR UTlLlZlNG tti/IND-liOVi/ER SPECIFICATION fornnngpart of Letters Patent No. 741,389, dated October 13, 1903.`

Application iiled April 24, 1903. Serial No. 154,096. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

13e it known that I, THuoDoRE R. TIMBY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Utilizing find-Power, of which the following is a Speciiication.

This invention relates to mechanism for utilizing and storing the power f the wind and making it available for mechanical purposes.

The object of the invention is to utilize wind-wheels for the compression of air which is stored for mechanical use and to utilize the storage vessels as supports for the windwheels, also to supply an auxiliary apparatus by which the weight of a body may be lifted by the wind-wheels, and when lifted the weight may be automatically thrown into operation to assist in compressing air to reinforce a failing supply.

-The invention consists in certain vmechanisms and combinations, as hereinafter claimed. i

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus illustrating the principles of my invention, one of the storage towers or tubes being shown in section and showing the auxiliary weight mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section of the mechanism for throwing the weight into operation.

Let 1 indicate a strong tube of metal rmly anchored in the ground and projecting far enough above ground to clear obstructions, so as to give a fair sweep to the wind.

2 2 indicate supports for wind-Wheels, and 3 3 are the wheels thereon. These wheels are of any usual construction and are provided with any usual means for keeping the wheels faced in operative relation to the wind. The wheels are connected in usual manner to aircompressors 4t, and these compressors condense air and force it into the interior of a tube 1 through pipes 5. The return of the air is prevented by a check valve in manner well known. The tube 1 is air-tight, and this tube `constitutes a storage chamber for the f compressed air. Where several tubes or towers 1 1, &c., are arranged in series they may be connected by pipes, as 6, and suitable cutoffs or cocks 7 may be provided, so as to retain the compressed air when stored. Compressed air is drawn from any of the storage tubes or towers bysuitable connections, as from plugs S. As the wind is liable to blow day and night and power in the form of compressed air can be stored at night and utilized in the day, it is only necessary to maintain the machines in operative condition to be reasonably sure of a storage of power from the force of the wind, which will be available when the wind does not blow.

One or more of the windwheels 3 may be utilized to turn a windlass 12, by which windlass a heavy weight 13 may be lifted, the weight being suspended, preferably, inside one of the towers or tubes 1. When the airpressure in the towerruns below a predetermined minimum, the reduction of pressure acts automatically to trip a catch and let the Weight run down. AThe falling Weight operates the windlass to drive an air-compressor 15, and this compressor forces more air into the storage tube or reservoir 1. The storagetubes will be providedwith safety -va1ves, if desirable, or such valves can be Xed in the service-pipes.

A mechanism which may be used to start .the weight into operation when the pressure falls in tube 1 is shown in Fig. 2. Let a pipe 18 be connected to tube l and let an enlargement 19 of this pipe 18 be closed by a flexible diaphragm 20. Said diaphragm is connected by a weighted link 21 to a pawl 22, which pawl is in position to engage teeth on a ratchet-wheel 23 on shaft 17 of the windlass. lows diaphragm 2O to fall, under influence of weight WV, and the pawl is released from the ratchet, permitting the windlass to come in operation to drive the air-compressor l5. An increase of pressure in tube 1 tends to lift the diaphragm, thus again engaging the ratchet 22 with pawl 23 and stopping the fall of the weight. The gearing and clutches necessary to drive the windlass, so that the power of the driving wind-wheel will be utilized, will be readily supplied by a skilled mechanic and is no necessary part of the present invention.

The towers formed by the storage-tubes may be arranged in groups, as shown, or otherwise. Any convenient number of wind-motors may be arranged on each tower or reserr1`he falling pressure in the tube l al- A ICO voir. A wind-motor may be connected to the weight, so as to operate either to raise the Weight or to drive an air-compressor, as will be understood' by any mechanic skilled in this art.

What I claim isl. In a mechanism for utilizing Wind-power, a storage-reservoir, a wind-Wheel mounted thereon, an air compressor driven by the wind -wheel and connected to the storagereservoir to compress air into the same, a second Wind-Wheel and a weight-lifting mechanism connected thereto, and means by which the falling of the weight actuates a second air-compressor to reinforce the first.

2. In mechanism for utilizing wind-power, an air-compressor driven by a wind-motor, a storage-reservoir for the air so compressed, a Weight and means for lifting the same4 device by the air-motor, and mechanism for automatically utilizing the power of the weight as the air-pressure falls in the reservoir.

3. In mechanism for utilizing wind-power,

a hollow cylindrical metallic tube, anchored in the ground, and constituting the tower of a Wind-Wheel, a wind-wheel mounted on said 

